On Sat, Feb 14, 2009 at 8:54 AM, John Davis <john> wrote:

My name is John Davis and I am the Vice President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Seattle Events a Non-Profit Corporation. We produce Seattle Hempfest every year on the third weekend of August in Myrtle Edwards and Elliot Bay parks. The event covers 1.3 miles between Pier 70 and 92 with a fairly major bicycle route in the parks. We have been in permit negotiations with the City of Seattle and the Port of Seattle about this year’s permit. The City and the Port in particular have expressed concerns about allowing bicycle traffic during set-up and tear-down as has been our policy in previous years. They have asked us for a “Bicycle Plan” for our event this year. We would like to dialog with the bicycle community regarding this and give you a chance to comment on our plan before we bring it in to our next SEC meeting.



Right now it looks like they may exclude bicycles for the entire event including setup and tear down. At the very least require bicyclists to dismount and walk the 1.3 miles. This would stretch from August 11th through the 19th. We are always closed to bicycle traffic on Saturday and Sunday of the event. We are trying to determine if we can find alternate routes and get the information to the community so it is more palatable to bicycle commuters.



We are also taking actions to make our event more bicycle friendly to the event. We are adding significant bicycle parking at the North end of the park. We would also like to get this sort of information out to the bicycle community that may like to attend the event. We would like to increase our attendance that chooses the bicycle commute option.



Thank you for the work you do in making Seattle a bicycle friendly city!



Thanks,

-John

John Davis
Vice President/ Chairman of the Board of Directors
Seattle Events, A Non-Profit Corporation
Producers of Seattle Hempfest
(425)698-5381

We are trying to better prepare the bicycle community for what ever comes to pass. We have fought for years to be able to put up signage early to inform bicycle commuters of what to expect. This year we finally got the go ahead to place signage 2 weeks early. We would like them to say more than “The park will be closed to bicycles on”. We would like them to have some sort of information as to alternate routes, etc. on the signage.

3. this is the best detour. blah blah blah angry ranting and unfeasible and unlikey solutions

also i hate "cat in the hat" hats.

also i hate "cat in the hat" hats.

if that money that i paid was used for ben to arrange the rental of a jack hammer to follow his life long dream of cleaning up the ballard bridge bike path mess, well that would be icing on the cake.

minnesotans sure do know about bridge repair.

I suggest cones or plastic poles and caution tape fencing that runs the entire lenght of the path on both sides. Have a few controlled crossing areas if people want to cross the road. basically contain the road/path to travelling activities, and keep the setting up and staging of materials and parking of vehicles to the grass.

that's a fantastic idea.

that's a fantastic idea.

that's a fantastic idea.

Parking along Elliott & 15th Aves from Broad to Dravus Sts could temporarily be suspended during the time necessary before during and after the event, the parking could then be seperated from the travel lane with orange traffic cones or barrels creating a temporary bike path thru this corridor.

Or along Elliott & 15th Aves from Broad to Dravus Sts the hours in the morning and afternoon that the rightmost travel lane is restricted to transit and bicycles only could be increased to 24/7 during the event and the transit/bicycle only lane could also be seperated from the adjacent travel lane using orange traffic cones or barrels.